“Books are uniquely portable magic.” Stephen King
We are a class who loves stories and we try to encourage reading throughout the day and year.
Our Reading Area
Our classroom has a brand-new under-the-sea themed Reading Corner, designed to be calm, relaxing, and inviting for every learner. The space offers a wide mix of books and genres, carefully organised to make it easy for pupils to find something that interests them.
We’ve made the area as cosy and welcoming as possible with a sofa, cushions, blankets, a bean bag, and cuddly toys. Alongside our main class library, the Reading Corner also has baskets filled with favourite books, audiobooks, and topic-linked texts.
To make the space even more special, fairy lights give it a soft, soothing glow—perfect for settling down with a book and enjoying some quiet reading time.
Book Voting
This year, Mrs McBirnie and Miss Burton have introduced a book voting system to help us choose our daily story. Each day, two books are placed in the voting station, and pupils use a bead to cast their vote for the one they would like to hear. Children can also suggest books to be added to the station. This system means that everyone has a voice in the choice of story, and it allows us to enjoy a wide variety of different texts together.
The sign we use for book voting comes from Good Morning Ms Foster.
Daily Reading Time
Every day we enjoy daily personal reading time. During this time, we make the classroom calm and quiet, using a focus timer and relaxing music to help us settle into the best state for reading. Some of us read together and help each other with tricky words, some of us use the pictures to tell the story, and some of us are challenging ourselves with novels. We really value this time, and Miss Burton and Mrs McBirnie read their own books alongside us to model positive reading habits.
Books That Support Wellbeing
At Barr Primary School and EYC, we know that stories can be more than just a way to enjoy reading—they can help children understand and manage their emotions.
Recently, our classes have been exploring emotional regulation through literature. We used the Regulation Backpack from Good Morning, Ms. Foster, which offers practical tools to help children recognise and manage their feelings.
We also read The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld, a story that highlights the importance of listening, showing empathy, and supporting ourselves and others when emotions feel big.
By using books in this way, children not only develop their reading skills but also gain strategies to support their mental health and wellbeing. Stories provide a safe space to explore feelings, practise empathy, and learn coping techniques they can use every day.
Another book we have enjoyed in recent years is Beautiful Oops!. This delightful story shows us that mistakes are just another way to learn and that we can turn them into something wonderful. We loved exploring the book and creating our very own “Beautiful Oopsies,” celebrating creativity and learning from every experience.
Favourite Book Gallery
Below is a gallery of some of our other favourite books.
